Stopper-applying machines



Sept. 2, 1958 J. RAVN 2,849,848

STOPPER-APPLYING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 7, 1953 a Sept. 2, 1958 J. RAVN 2,849,348

STOPPER-APPLYING MACHINES Filed Dec. 7, 1953 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 #714577 TOR M0605 R9 V 7 Sept. 2, 1-958 J. RAVN 2,849,848

STOPPER-APPLYING MACHINES Filed Dec. '7, i953 I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig/3 v Fig/4 m u I 4&5

HTTKS.

2,849,848 STOPPER-APPLYING MACHINES Jacob Ravn, Phoenixville, Pa., assignor to The West Company, Inc., Phoenixville, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application December 7, 1953, Serial No. 396,460

11 Claims. (Cl. 53-321) This invention relates to machines for inserting flanged resilient stoppers in containers such as glass bottles.

Flanged rubber stoppers are commonly employed in conjunction with glass bottles such as pharmaceutical bottles. The stoppers are applied to the bottles by a machine having a movable plunger which serves to push the stoppers into the bottles. In the application of each stopper to a bottle, the stopper is held in position over the bottle by a. holder separate from the plunger, and the plunger pushes the stopper into the bottle and out of engagement with the holder. Following the application of a stopper to a bottle, a metal cap is applied which holds the stopper in place. However, the stopper-applying operation prior to the application of the metal cap has presented a problem for the following reasons. I

(1) Where thestopper and/or the bottle are wet or coated with some kind of chemical such as silicone, there is a tendency for the stopper to pop out of the bottle due to the fact that the air in the bottle is compressed when the stopper is inserted and there is insuflicient friction between the stopper and the bottle to resist the force of the compressed air;

(2) Where the stopper and the bottle are sterilizedand permitted to dry before the application of the stopper, the friction between the stopper and the bottle is frequently so great as to strongly resist full insertion of the stopper with its flange engaging the top of the bottle. This is aggravated by the fact. that the portion of the stopper which enters the bottle tends to expand when pressure is applied .by the usual plunger over the entire top surface of the stopper.

(3) If it should happen that there is no bottle in position under the plunger, the stopper will be pushed out of the holder as the plunger moves down.

The principal object of the present invention is to overcome the above-mentioned objections. I

A specific object of the invention is to provide improvements in a stopper-applying machine whereby the stopper is deformed during the applying operation to overcome the objections in regard to insertion of the stopper.

Another object of the invention is to provide a stopper-v holding arrangement Whereby the stopper is retained in the event that a bottle is not in position beneath the plunger at the time of thestopper-applying operation.

Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a part elevational and part sectional view of a plunger arrangement according to this invention and an associated bottle; I

Fig. 2 is aside elevationalview of the plunger; I

Fig. 3 is a bottom view taken along line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a part elevational and part sectional view showing the application of the stopper to the bottle;

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the stopper showing more fully the distortion of the stopper which takes place;

tion of the stopper.

ass-ass Patented Sept. 2, 1958 ice Fig. 6 is a view generally similar to Fig. '4 showing another embodiment of the plunger structure;

Fig. 7 is a bottom view of the plunger taken along line Fig. 8 is a side elevational view further showingthe plunger'structure and the stopper-applying operation;

Fig. 9 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 showing a further embodiment of the invention; I

Fig. 10 is a side view of the plunger of Fig. 9; Fig. 11 is a view generally similar to Fig. 4 showing the application of the stopper; I

Fig. 12 is a bottom view taken along line ll 2'-12 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 13 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 showing a further'embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 14 is a view mostly in section taken centrallyand longitudinally ,of the plunger arrangement in Fig. 13;

Fig. 15 is a bottom view taken along line 15-15 of Fig. 13; and

Fig. 16 is a view similar Referring first to Figs. 1 to 5, as in the conventional stopper-applying machine, there is provided a vertically movable. plunger 20 which serves to push a stopper 21 into the neck of a bottle 22 positioned below the plunger.

The resilient, e. g. rubber, stopper 21 is of the type com:

monly employed and it comprises a portion 23 which enters the neck of the bottle and a -flange24 which is The present I intended to engage the top of the bottle. invention is not concerned with the details of the stopper:

applying machine whereby bottles are brought successively beneath the movable plunger and stoppers are fed successively to a holding means. This invention is concerned, only with the structure of the plunger and the manner of holding each stopper forapplication thereof to fa bottle.

In accordance with the present invention, in the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the plunger 20 is p'referbeen inserted, due to the compression of the air in the upper part of the .bottle. As may be seen in Fig. 4, the squeezing of opposed areas of the stopper flange between the-top .of' the bottle and surfaces 25 and 26 causes transverse displacement of the rubber of the stopper and consequent transverse distortion of the stopper which permits the air in the bottle to escape as it is compressed. Fig. 5 shows how the stopper is deformed from the broken line position. The transverse distortion of the stopper portion 23 permits some of the compressed air to escape through the passages between portion 23 and the wall of the bottle and beneath the portions of flange 24 which have no downward force thereon. Thus, the air pressure within the bottle is reduced sufliciently to preclude later pop-out of the stopper. l

In order to hold the stopper in position above the bottle for insertion therein by the plunger as above-described, a pair of holders 27 and ZS-iare provided at the lower end of the plunger 20, being securedto the lower ends of flatto Fig. 14 showing the applicav With this arrangement, the plunger itself supports the stopper, and the stopper is released only if a bottle is in position to receive it. In the event that a bottle is not in position to -receive thestopper, the stopper is not released but is simply carried upward by the plunger to be applied to a bottle on'the next downward stroke of the plunger. v

Figs. 6 to 8 show an embodiment wherein the plunger 20a is formed at its lower end to provide opposed downwardly convex surfaces 37 and 38 which exert downward forces on the stopper flange and cause distortion of the stopper as it is being pressed into the bottle neck by the plunger. The displacement of the rubber causes distortion of the stopper portion 23 so as to permit escape ofcompressed air as inthe previously described embodiment. Aside from the diff'erent torm of the plunger, the parts are the same as in. the first embodiment.

Figs. 9 to 12' shown an embcdiment'wherein the plunger 20b is recessedto receive the upper partof' the stopper and has a relatively-deep circular recess 39'surrounded by a fiat surface 4'0which engages the" entire stopper flange. This embodiment is particularly intendedfor use where the stopper and: bottle are dry and it is desired tolessen the friction between the stopper'arid the bottle so" as' to enable full insertion of the stopper. As shown in Fig. 11, as the stopper is inserted, the surface 40 pressesthe entire flange of the stopper against-thetop of the bottle and the inward displacement'of the rubber causes contraction of the stopper portion 231' This" causes decrease of the friction between the stopper and the bottle" and enables full insertion of the stopper.

Figs. 13 tol6 show an embodiment wherein theplunger' 200 has a relatively large recess 41in which there is a shoe 42 mounted 'on pivot pin 43 which extends across'the' recess. The shoe42 is'biased by a helical spring 44 seated Within" a recess45, the-spring biasing the shoe against a fixed stop 46. The' shoe 42 has serr'ations'47 to friction ally engage the topof, the stopper: As may be seen in' Fig. 16, as the stopper is inserted, thepivotedshoe acts against its spring to apply transverse force to the top of the stopper thereby distorting'the's-topper. This embodiment'is particularly intended for use to release compressed air to prevent popping-out'of-the' stopper as previously mentioned;

From the foregoing desc'r-ip tiomit will be seen that'the invention provides means o'n-theplunger of a stopperapplying machine for'distorting' the resilient-stopper as it is inserted in a bottle, either to'relieve' ai-rpressure in the bottle or to decrease friction between the stopper andthe'bottle. for supportingthe stoppe'rfrom the plunger itself.

While certain embodiments-of the inven-tion have been illustrated and described, the inventionis not' limited thereto, but contemplatessuch other embodiments and modifications as may occur to persons skilledinthe art.

I claim:

1. In a machine for applying one-pieoeflanged resilient stoppers having-insertable portions-to containers, amovable plunger member operable to'pusha stopper into a container, resiliently mounted holders on said member to support the stopper for insertioninwthe: container and engageable by the top 'of' thecontainer to be spread thereby .and release the stopper as'itis introduced into the con tainer, and means on said member'to. exert force'on the stopper entirely above'the container: effectiverto deform the insertable portion of the=stopper:transverselycoincidently with the application ofainsertingpressure so asto insure fully effective-application of the stopper'to the container. v

2. A machine according toclaim Lwheieimsaid mem Further, vthe' inven'ti-o'n provides-novel means 4 ber has pressure-applying portions thereon arranged to exert pressure on =local areas of the stopper flange to deform the stopper so as to permit escape of air from the container.

3. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said member has a pressure-applying surface thereon arranged to exert pressure on the entire stopper flange to eflect contracting deformation of the stopper and thus reduce friction between it and the container.

4. A machine according to claim 1, including an element pivotally mounted on said member and adapted to exert transverse force on the top of the stopper to deform the stopper so as to permit escape of air from the container.

5. In a machine for applying one-piece flanged resilient stoppers having insertable portions to containers, a movable plunger member operable to push a stopper into a container, and two opposed local surfaces on the stop= per-engaging endof said member for applying pressure entirely above the container only to two opp'osedlocal areas'ofithe' stopper flange so as to deform the insertable portion of the stopper transversely coineidently with the application of inserting pressure, thereby to insure fully efl'ectiveapplication of the stopper to the container.

6; A machine according to claim 5, wherein said member is recessed at its stopper-engaging end and has two opposed inclined surfaces for applying pressure only to two opposed local areas of the stopper flange.

7. A machine according to claim 5, wherein said meniber has two opposed convex surfaces for applying pressure only to two opposed local areas of the stopper flange:

8. In a machine for applying one-piece flanged resilient stoppers having insertable portions to containers, a movable plunger member operable to push astopper into a container, resiliently mounted-holders on saidrne'rnber to support the stopper for insertion in the container stopper as it is introduced intotlie' container, and two opposed local surfaces on the stopper-engaging end of said member for applying pressure entirely'abb-ve' the con tainer' only to two opposed local areas of the stopper flange so as to deform the insertable portion of the stop per transversely coincidently withtheapplic'ation of inserting pressure, thereby to insure fully'efiective application'of the stopper to the container.

9. Amachine according to claim" 8'; wherein said memher is recessed at its stopper engagingend and has two opposed inclined surfaces for applying pressure only to two opposed local areas of the stopper flange:

10. A-machine according to clairn8, wherein said member nastwo opposed convex surfaces for applying'pressure only to two opposed local areas of the stopper flange.

11. ln a'm'achine for applying one-piece-fl'anged resilient stoppers having insertable" portions to containers, a movable" plunger member operable topu'sh a stopper'into a container, and means including an element pivotally mounted on said member and adapted to exert transverse forceon the top of the stopper to deform the inseitable'po'rtion of the stopper transverselycoincidentally with-the application of inserting pressure so as to permit the escape of air from the container and insure fully eftective application of the stopper to the container.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 573,426 Vilter Dec. 15, 1896 1,080,046 Butkus Dec. 2, 1913 2,360,423 Johnson et a1 Oct. 17, 1944 2,656,086 Haynes Oct. 20, 1953 

